‘Nothing works anymore’: Tories accused of having ‘broken Britain’ with public services ‘in crisis’
The Conservatives will be accused of having “broken Britain” in a keynote speech by the new leader of the Trades Union Congress (TUC) attacking the state of the economy and public services.
In his first speech as head of the union federation, Paul Nowak will highlight that “nothing works in this country anymore and no one in government cares”.
He will point to problems such as sewage in the rivers and the school concrete fiasco as proof that the country needs “urgent political change”.
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Addressing union delegates in his home city of Liverpool, Mr Nowak will say on Monday: “Nothing works in this country anymore and no one in government cares. The Conservatives have broken Britain.
“They’ve had 13 years to sort out crumbling concrete in our schools. But five days before the new term they tell schools they can’t open.
“Because – and I quote the education secretary – everyone is ‘on their arses’.
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“Could you think of a more perfect metaphor for this government? A crisis of their making, but someone else gets the blame.
“Yet, this government that can’t keep our rivers clean, or run trains on time, or run a functioning NHS can find time to attack the right to strike.”
Mr Nowak’s speech will come on the second day of the annual TUC conference which opened in Liverpool on Sunday.
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TUC reports government to the UN’s watchdog on workers’ rights
The event kicked off with Mr Nowak announcing in a news conference that he is reporting the government to the UN’s workers’ rights watchdog over its controversial “anti-strikes” legislation.
Unions ‘will fight anti-strikes law on picket line’
The Strikes (Minimum Service Levels) Bill seeks to ensure a legally mandated level of service across key sectors like the NHS during a strike, and will allow bosses to fire employees who ignore notices ordering them to work on strike day.
The government has said the purpose of the legislation is to protect lives and ensure people can continue to access vital public services during strikes.
But in his speech Mr Nowak will argue that rather than preserving services for the public, the new law is about “telling us to get back in our place and to not demand better”.
He will warn: “When the first worker is sacked for refusing to work on a strike day, we’ll fight it in workplaces and on the picket lines.
“Congress – this movement will fight it every single day until it is repealed.”
Debates about how to oppose the the legislation are expected to dominate the TUC conference, which will also hear from deputy Labour leader Angela Rayner.
Sir Keir Starmer will not address the conference but he will host a private dinner for members of the TUC general counsel on Monday.
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Unions will also discuss issues like the cost of living crisis, workers’ rights and nationalising public services.
It comes after a bruising week for the Tories which saw the escape of a terror suspect turn into a political row about the state of the justice system and cuts to staffing and funding.
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Meanwhile over 100 schools were forced to shut or partially shut because of collapse-prone concrete, with embattled Prime Minister Rishi Sunak facing accusations he refused to fully fund a programme of repairs while chancellor.
‘Years of austerity have left services reeling’
Unions used the two crises’ to argue the Conservative governments’ austerity agenda had left public services reeling as they opened four days of debate.
Listing problems in the public sector Unison general secretary Christina McAnea said: “The longest NHS waiting lists in history, huge cuts to police forces and councils going bust. Care services are unable to deliver for patients, their families, or the workforce, but generate huge profits for offshore private equity trusts.
“Inmates are escaping overcrowded prisons and unsafe schools are crumbling, although you can bet Eton, Winchester and Harrow won’t be among them.
“Workers across all public services, and everyone who relies on them, can see austerity has fractured and smashed the economy.”
In a scathing attack on Westminster leaders she added: “This is the most venal, corrupt, inept government I can remember.”
Labour ‘must be more like Atlee in 1945’
The conference follows a year of unprecedented industrial action by hundreds of thousands of workers including nurses, teachers, civil servants and railway staff.
Unions are calling for change in the form of a Labour government.
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Senior union leader Sharon Graham defends Labour criticism
In his speech, Mr Nowak will attack the current “cabinet of millionaires” and in a ringing endorsement of Sir Keir Starmer say: “When the time comes I will tell anyone who ask: vote for working people, vote for change, vote for the party we named for our movement. Vote Labour.”
But while Labour traditionally enjoys the support of trade unions, others had some choice words for the potential future incumbent of Downing Street.
Mark Serwotka, leader of the Public and Commercial Services union, called on Labour to commit to a radical programme of investment to tackle low pay, homelessness, under-staffing in prisons, library closures and “crumbling” school buildings.
Sharon Graham, leader of Labour’s biggest union donor Unite, accused the party of becoming a “1990s tribute act” – a reference to its last time in office under Tony Blair.
She said Sir Keir’s leadership needs to be more radical than then because there is less money in the public coffers to spend – and options such as wealth taxes and nationalising energy should be considered to raise capital.
In a reference to the post-war Labour government of Clement Attlee, which founded the NHS, she told Sky News: “Britain is in crisis. And what we need to do now is not to look back to 1997. What we need to do is be more like in 1945. The country needs a reboot and Labour needs to put policies forward that give it that reboot.”
UK
MasterChef’s Gregg Wallace steps down as Kirsty Wark among 13 who claim he made inappropriate sexual jokes
MasterChef host Gregg Wallace has stepped down over allegations he made a series of inappropriate sexual comments on a range of programmes over 17 years.
Broadcaster Kirsty Wark is among 13 people who have made claims, with Wallace being investigated by MasterChef’s production company Banijay UK.
In an interview with the BBC, the Newsnight presenter, who was a celebrity contestant on MasterChef in 2011, claimed Wallace used “sexualised language”.
“There were two occasions in particular where he used sexualised language in front of a number of people and it wasn’t as if it was anyone engaged with this,” Wark said.
“It was completely one-way traffic. I think people were uncomfortable and something that I really didn’t expect to happen.”
Sky News has contacted Wallace’s representative for comment.
Kirsty Wark. File pic: PA
‘Fully cooperating’
Banijay UK said the complaints were made to the BBC this week by “individuals in relation to historical allegations of misconduct while working with Gregg Wallace on one of our shows”.
The company said the 60-year-old, who has been a co-presenter and judge of the popular cooking show since 2005, was “committed to fully cooperating throughout the process”.
“Whilst these complainants have not raised the allegations directly with our show producers or parent company Banijay UK, we feel that it is appropriate to conduct an immediate, external review to fully and impartially investigate,” the company said.
“While this review is under way, Gregg Wallace will be stepping away from his role on MasterChef and is committed to fully co-operating throughout the process.
“Banijay UK’s duty of care to staff is always a priority and our expectations regarding behaviour are made clear to both cast and crew on all productions, with multiple ways of raising concerns, including anonymously, clearly promoted on set.
“Whilst these are historical allegations, incidences brought to our attention where these expectations are not met, are thoroughly investigated and addressed appropriately.”
A BBC spokesman said: “We take any issues that are raised with us seriously and we have robust processes in place to deal with them.
“We are always clear that any behaviour which falls below the standards expected by the BBC will not be tolerated.
“Where an individual is contracted directly by an external production company we share any complaints or concerns with that company and we will always support them when addressing them.”
Previous investigation
Last month, Wallace responded to reports that a previous BBC review had found he could continue working at the corporation following reports of an alleged incident in 2018 when he appeared on Impossible Celebrities.
Wallace said those claims had been investigated “promptly” at the time and said he had not said “anything sexual” while appearing on the game show more than half a decade ago.
In an Instagram post following an article in The Sun newspaper, he wrote: “The story that’s hitting the newspapers was investigated promptly when it happened six years ago by the BBC.
“And the outcome of that was that I hadn’t said anything sexual. I’ll need to repeat this again. I didn’t say anything sexual.”
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Alongside MasterChef, Wallace presented Inside The Factory for BBC Two from 2015.
Wallace and Anne-Marie Sterpini in 2014. Pic: PA
Wallace has featured on various BBC shows over the years, including Saturday Kitchen, Eat Well For Less, Supermarket Secrets, Celebrity MasterChef and MasterChef: The Professionals, as well as being a Strictly Come Dancing contestant in 2014.
He was made an MBE for services to food and charity last year.
Recorded episodes of MasterChef: The Professionals featuring Wallace will be transmitted as planned, the PA news agency understands.
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